The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Oxy-fuel cutting torches, or gas cutting torches, generally employ oxygen and a fuel gas, such as acetylene or propane, by way of example, to cut a workpiece. More specifically, preheat oxygen and the fuel gas are mixed and ignited to provide heat to the workpiece, and then additional oxygen, commonly referred to as cutting oxygen, is added to react with the heated workpiece. This reaction of the cutting oxygen with the heated workpiece initiates sufficient heat and momentum of the gases to initiate a cutting process.
A typical gas cutting torch generally includes a consumable gas cutting tip which conducts cutting oxygen straight through a central passageway within the tip and includes a plurality of axial passageways for the flow of preheat gas (i.e., mixed preheat oxygen and fuel gas). Gas cutting tips with this traditional flow passage are easy to manufacture, but they are not optimal for cooling of the tip. Gas cutting tips having improved flow passage for enhanced cooling effect are desired in the field of gas cutting torches.